Pilate Exercise Balls- Improve Stability & Balance
Introduction:
One of the most fun pieces of Pilate’s equipment is the Pilates Exercise Ball. In occupational therapy training, we called them 'stability balls', but the Pilates exercise ball goes by many other names as well - the Swiss ball, the Gym ball, the Exercise ball just to name a few. The purpose of the Pilates exercise ball is to help improve stability and balance.
Nearly any exercise that can be done on the mat can be adapted for working out with a stability ball, with added benefits. When you work out on the uneven, yielding surface of an exercise ball, your body must constantly make minute adjustments in posture and position in order to maintain your balance. The extra effort not only helps re-educate your body about balance, it also has your deepest core muscles working overtime. No matter what exercises you're doing on the ball; you will be working your abs. It's the only way to keep from falling (or rolling) off.
How to exercise using your exercise ball
Using an exercise ball is a great way to become more fit. Your posture and body awareness naturally improve. So does your balance. And you build overall strength and endurance.
Initially you may feel unstable sitting on the exercise ball. However, this feeling will fade the more sitting you do, as your muscles and joints get better at responding to the unstable environment. Your core stabilization muscles, abdominals and back muscles particularly, strengthen.
The benefits of Pilates exercise ball are:
- A reinforced sense of balance
- Strengthen the stabilizing muscles around the spine for better posture, which leads to better breathing and more body awareness
- Strengthen abdominal muscles
- Reinforce postural alignment
- Increase motor control, particularly gross motor control
- Enhance neuromuscular coordination
- Support and stretch the body
One of the greatest benefits of a workout on the Pilates exercise ball is more subtle, though. Plainly put, it's just plain fun. And when your workout is fun, you're more likely to work out more often.
Exercise ball cautions
Exercise balls are beloved of physical therapists because, in addition to being very effective, they are versatile, fun, and easy-to-use. Before beginning any exercise program, however, you should check with your health care professional to be sure the program is appropriate for you.
In a similar vein, always pay attention to your body. If any exercise causes you to hurt - stop! Don't push too hard or attempt too much. Slow and gentle will get you there, so be patient. And enjoy. One of the wonderful things about exercise balls are they make for serious fitness, yet using them can be a blast!
Exercise Ball Usage Tips
Do’s
- Wear comfortable, non-restrictive clothes. Barefoot is fine if you can maintain traction - otherwise, wearing athletic shoes.
- Give yourself plenty of room - pick a location where you have lots of space around you as you exercise.
- Warm up the muscle groups before you begin exercising.
- To help maintain your balance as you exercise, focus your eyes on a fixed point.
- Breathe normally.
- Exhale during the most difficult phase of the exercise and inhale during the easiest.
- Move in a controlled manner.
- After you finish exercising, stretch.
Don't
- While on the ball, don't bounce while also bending, twisting or rotating your spine.
- Don't hold your breath.
- Don't continue if you start to lose your balance. Instead, stop and reposition yourself.
Summary:
Adding a Pilate’s exercise ball to your home gym equipment is a great investment in both fun and fitness. Even something as simple as sitting and gently bouncing on an exercise ball while watching television offers benefits to posture, balance and torso strength. The Pilates exercise ball is easily one of the most popular and easy to incorporate pieces of equipment. Inexpensive, it offers enormous benefits as part of a daily Pilates exercise program.
